Graduated Income Tax Advances to the Ballot, Common Core Hearing Next Week

Last week, the legislature voted the second time in favor of passing a graduated income tax, and the measure will appear on the ballot (along with our ballot question to Repeal the Bathroom and Locker Room law) in November of 2018.

Many organizations and ordinary citizens endeavored to persuade lawmakers that if passed, this question will lead to high-income earners fleeing the state, and an increased volatility in tax payments, eventually resulting in the “millionaires only” rate dropping to include the middle class.

Sadly, legislators listened to Democratic leadership, and voted in large numbers with Senate President Rosenberg and Speaker Deleo to advance the measure. You can see the roll call of how your legislators voted on our Facebook page. Please share it.

On Wednesday the legislature voted to advance the so-called "Millionaires tax" which will create a graduated income tax…

Media reports indicate that taxpayer groups will likely sue to prevent the measure from heading to the ballot, as it unconstitutionally uses the initiative petition process in earmarking funds for transportation and education. We’ll keep you posted with further information as this progresses.

In the fall of 2015, the Coalition had assisted End Common Core with gathering signatures to place a revocation of the Common Core Standards and PARCC test on the ballot. While that petition was thrown out by the Supreme Judicial Court, earlier this year we worked with Rep. Kevin Kuros to have the petition language filed as legislation. Many of you emailed and called your legislators in support of signing on during the bill filing period.

Rep. Kuros’s HB 250, as well as SB 283, both repealing the Common Core standards and restoring our pre-2010 education system, will have a hearing before the Education Committee. Details are as follows: